Paychecks Top $1-Million for 23 Private-College Presidents

Rensselaer’s chief tops the list at nearly $1.6-million. Shirley Ann Jackson had big plans when she was hired as president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute a decade ago. Shovels hit the ground soon after as part of a wide-ranging strategic plan that she directed. Ms. Jackson’s compensation matched her ambition, and just two years into her presidency she was the highest-paid private-college chief.